Mail delivering and catching device



H. SA PRETE.

MAIL DELIVERING AND CATCHING DEVICE-Ii APPLICATION yFILED JUNE 22, 1920.

WWI/6555 IN V EN TOR.

A T TORNE Y.

Patented June 21; 192:1@

H. Sl PRETE.

MAIL DELIVERING AND CATCHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED .IUNE 22, I920.

Patented June 21, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

[N V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

PATENT oFElcE.

HENRY S. PRETE. OF DEVILS LAKE, NORTH DAKOTA.

MAIL DELIVERING AND CATCHING- DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 21, 1921.

. Application iled June 22, 1920. Serial No. 390,755.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY S. PRETE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Devils Lake, in the county of Ramsey and State of North Dakota, have` invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail Delivering and Catching Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a mail delivering and catching device v which is especially adapted to be used in connection with railroad mail cars whereby the mail may be delivered to a station .or from the station to the car while the car is moving.

-The principal object ofthe device is to produce a simple and eliicient swinging arm which is attached to the interior of xthe car Vand upon which maybe hung a mail bag so as to be delivered at astation while the train is in motion and this same arm may at' the same time catch a ymail bag upon the station ap aratus. f l v nother object of the invention is to produce a device which may be attached to a mail bag so that same may be easily and elficiently caught by the apparatus to be hereinafter described.

A still further object of the invention is to generally improve upon devices of this character by providing a device which will be extremely slmple, durable and inexpensive in construction, one which is eiicient and reliable in operation, and well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With these and numerous other objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a top plan view of my invention,

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sections taken on the i lines 2 2, 3 3, and 4 4 respectively of Fig. l,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a slightly modiied form of my invention, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of mailbag which may be eiciently used in connection with my invention.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention it will be seen that 1 designates a post which is preferably embedded in the concrete foundation 2 and Supports the station apparatus which consists of the U-shaped frame .3 and it should be noted that this frame 3 is constructed of angle iron which is U-shaped in cross section. A rod 4 connects `the extremities of the arms 5 so as to support same,:and the hooks 6 are attached to this rod so as to extend in alinementtherewith andto be bent and have its end extend parallel therewith as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. These hooks 6 are used to catch the mail from the on-coming mail car as is clearly `indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

vAs sated above the arms 5 are formed of U-shaped angle iron and are provided at their extremities with the pivoted blocks 8 which are normally held in a closed position by the springs 9v which are connected to the blocks by means of the links 10. The ends of the springs 9 are iixed to the eye bracket A 11 as is clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The swinging arm 12 is pivotally carried by the bracket 13 and is bent at14 so as to curve outwardly through the cardoor and is held in this outward position by means of the hasp 15. Of course when this arm 12 is not in use it may be swung into the car. The end of the arm 12 is formed so as to be VU- shaped in cross section and is provided with the pivoted block 8 which is held in place by the spring 9 through the link 10. A catching hook 6 is alsoy attached to the extremity 'of the arm 12 and is braced by means of' the rod 16 to which is attached the spring 9". i v

In Fig.' 5 of the drawing Iv have shown a slightly modifiedk form of an arm which may be atttached to the car by means of the bracket 17 so that the arm 18 may swing horizontally and it will also be noted that a biurcated portion 19 is provided to which the main portion of the arm 18 is pivoted so as to allow same to swing vertically. A brace 20 is attached to the lower portion of the arm 18 so as to engage the stop 21 thus holding this arm 18 in a horizontal position. In order to raise the arm to a vertical position a cord or wire 22 has one end thereof attached to the extremity of the arm 18 and passes over the pulley wheel 23 so that by pulling upon the spring 24 which is attached to the other extremity of the cord 22 this arm may be swung to a vertical position and thus be inoperative. This arm is otherwise formed similar to the arm 12 having the U- shaped extremity so as to receive the pivoted block 8V the purpose of which will be hereinafter fully described.

Vpasses through the eye 31 while the eye 32' is provided with a strap 34 which passes through the eye 35 provided on the leg 26. In Fig. 6 of the drawing I have shown a slight modification of this pouch which has the eyes 31 and 32 but it Will be noted that understood that numerous forms of pouches these eyes are disposed at right angles to the body portion of the pouch that is both of these eyes are similar to the eye 31 provided upon the pouch shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of therdrawing. Of course, it should be may be yused in connection with my invention and I of course do notwish to be limited tothe construction herein shown.V

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the device willk be readily understood without a morev extended explanation. As numerous changes in form, proportion, and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of this invention, I do not wish to be limited to the constructionherein shown and described other than vis claimed. Y Y

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new isz- Y .Y 1. In a device of the class described the combination of a support,ran arm extending from said support and formed of U-shaped angle iron, a block pivotally carried at the be held therein-by means of the block, and

a depending arm extending from said shank so that same may be attached toa mail pouch.

3. In aY device ofl the 'class described .the

combination of a support, an arm extending K from said support, said. arms formed of shaped angle iron, a mail pouchattachment comprising a shank, saidshank adapted to.

be received in the U-shaped angle iron, and means for holding said shank within said arm.' 1

4. In a device of the classdescribed'the combination Vof a support, an arm extending from said support and formed of U-shaped angle iron, a block pivoted'in said. arm, a 'Y spring for normally holding sai'd block in a closed position, a mail pouch attachment comprising a shankadaptedto be received in saidV U-shaped angle iron and to be held therein by means of said block, andl means.

whereby said attachment may be attached to a mail pouch. i VIn testimony whereof I aflixmy signature in presence of two witnesses..k n Y f HENRY s.V PRETEL itnesse's` Y i Y i' B. FISHER, v

W. TaELMsLIE. 

